The Beauty and The Beast
by RealizeMyRealEyes
Summary: While caged inside his own world, Loki finds himself at the hands of a proposition that could either make him, or break him. As he tries to find himself while housed upon Midguardian soil, he can't help but wonder if anyone else knows it wasn't his fault. Well, she knows. And she accepts that. Rated for language and later on, there will be smut... You have been warned.
1. Prologue

**I'm back! And quite a bit earlier than expected, I think. AND with a completely unexpected FanFic that just suddenly came to me... Like, out of nowhere.**

**I've been very engrossed with Loki lately and I just could not resist.**

**Anyway, I just gotta point out, that this has nothing to do with Thor 2, so don't expect me to spill the beans about anything that has happened in that movie for those who haven't seen it. Actually, LET'S JUST PRETEND EVERYTHING IN THOR 2 NEVER HAPPENED. A'ight? A'ight.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, Nada. Uh- uh. Not mine. I don't own anything except my OC's, and all that jazz I'm sure you've heard ohsomany times.**

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Prologue

~He was bored. So very, horrendously bored. Usually, at a time like this, he would scour the halls in search of someone to cause mischief to, or play a simple prank on consisting of snakes or worms, but no, a cell of four walls prevented him to do so. At least he had a book or two to accompany him, he thought. A prince of Asgard, trapped in his own home. The thought would have humored him if he was not playing the victim.

Loki stood from his little wooden chair that centered the cell. _"And at least Mother supplied me with furnishings."_ What a doll she had been to him. He wasn't afraid to call her his mother, though it was the All- Father whom he'd had title- conflictions with. She was the rock that kept him sane when he'd made discovery of his miss- led childhood. She was the one who comforted him in a time of need. And she was the one who still visited him daily while he was left to rot in this blasted cell.

The prince slowly circled the room, in thought of what he could do to fulfill his time before the servants brought fourth dinner. He crossed one boot in front of the other, hands clasped behind his back, green eyes wandering around the room in search of an idea. Though, when his mind was still amiss with any scheme to pull after five minutes, he let out a frustrated sigh and collapsed on the mattress laid in there. His teeth ground together angrily as he, once again, was reminded of his being there.

If only someone other than Thor could see that it was not his doing. Well, physically it was, but destroying half of New York was not his mindset. Sure, he'd liked the idea of being ruler of millions upon millions of Midguardians. But Thanos fooled him. Funny, how the God of lies was tricked himself.

Thanos was the murderer, not Loki. If only someone would see.

The prince closed his eyes for a moment, recounting what he'd seen that very horrible day. Burning buildings, inverted vehicles, and countless piles of bloodied, burning flesh. How could he forget? And the sounds… he can still hear the constant screaming of mortified humans as though they shared the same cell as him. It's even worse in his dreams; it's as though he relives the terrorizing of New York every night. The smell of burning bones invades his senses, and the sight of he, not Thanos or the Chitari, tearing apart person by person with his hands glues to his memory. He should just refer to them as nightmares from now on.

His green orbs open to the sound of knocking against his cell's window. Loki rolled his eyes, annoyance written on his face, and craned his neck to the source of the heavy rapping. There, clad in his usual warrior attire, was Thor in all his mighty being. He had a stupid smile plastered to his face, eyes squinting until they were nearly slits. "_Oh, I cannot wait to hear what has got him so joyous." _He thought, rising from the bed. He slowly walked to the center of the cell and looked to Thor. "Brother, I have come with pleasing news," The larger man says, grin still etched upon his face. Loki ticked his tongue and looked down, mock smile taking over his features.

"Whatever could be more pleasing than being locked up in a cell where my every move is monitored?" He says, sarcasm lacing his words. Thor dodges the remark, smile barely faltering, before continuing.

"I have been in continuous disputes with father-" "Your father, not mine." Loki interrupts, looking up from the cell's tiling to observe Thor's reaction. He noticeably deflates, but pushes to finish speaking. "-I have been forming a proposition with Odin that allows for you to leave these chambers." Loki's eyebrows shoot up, surprise momentarily sweeping across his features. Before he could question, the blonde continues. "You can come with me to Earth, and help clean the wreckage from three months ago." He pauses to gauge Loki's reaction. He'd stiffened at the word 'wreckage', eyes glazing over as he remembered the last thing he'd seen before leaving Midguard. An image of crumbled buildings, raging fires, and so many dead plagued his memory.

Thor noticed this, expression immediately softening. He hadn't wished for Loki to be reminded of the incident. "Brother, you can come… come and help. If you want to-" His voice droned out as Loki lifted his hand in a silent halting. The raven- haired prince crossed his arms behind his back, and went to sit in the chair. "I will come… but I assure you, I will not be of much use without my powers." He could see Thor nod from the corner of his eye, and waited for the blonde's next words.  
"I am aware of this. Odin and I have agreed to grant back your powers, though to some extent. He will only give back a weak form of telekinesis." Thor says gruffly. Loki almost felt a ping of hope in his chest. He wasn't sure why, but the idea of having even the slightest bit of his power returned made him feel… happy. Thor shifted on his feet, watching his brother through the glass of the window. He was sure Loki would take the offer without early hesitation. _"But perhaps he is even more broken than we all thought him to be."_

After a minute of drowning silence, Thor turned to leave. "When will we be departing?" A timid, nearly robotic voice questioned. It sounded unlike anything Thor had ever heard his brother say. He stopped on his heel, and without turning back to face the cell, he said, "I will come back in the morning, so we can leave early. For now, get your sleep." And with that, he left through the corridors. Loki peered around to find the cell block as empty as ever, excluding the knights at the far end of the hall. He didn't at all mind the company; it was good, for a change. The raven- haired prince stood from the chair, and walked to the mattress. He looked over it for a moment, deep in thought, before kneeling down and shifting around until he was as comfortable as he could be. Time passed by, and he just lay there, staring at the white ceiling.

He then closed his eyes, attempting to block out the glaring light of his cell that should go off any minute now. And as it did, when he was engulfed in utter darkness, he prepared himself for another nightmare.

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**Okay, there's the Prologue. Yeppity Yep. I promise with my two hearts that this will get better.**

**Hope to see you in Chapter one :)... Well, whenever it comes... Still not sure about that.**

**Anywho, review or don't, I swear I won't be a bother with that. Just be free and live your lives, my beloved readers.**

**~Loves&Hugs~**


	2. Chapter 1

**Herro, readers! I'm feeling quite mind- flourished today, so here's an early update! **

**Disclaimer: No.**

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One Day Earlier...

~It's a Saturday. A Saturday I could've be spending watching marathons of Criminal Minds and House, eating popcorn, and just relaxing after the past few hectic months. A Saturday that, just so happened to be ruined by the one and only Phil Coulson. "Phil, this better be good. I was really thinking about getting a perm today." I snapped, walking up to meet him. Said bald man turned to face me with a genuine smile, completely disregarding my statement.  
"So glad you could make it, Elle." He threw back. I went tight- lipped for a moment, crossing my arms while glaring up at him. He was at least a head-and-a-half taller than me. So much for an act of intimidation, I thought. "You'd better be glad, Coulson. I'll have your ass for this someday." I threatened, studying my surroundings.

S.H.E.I.L.D.'s land headquarters was once filled with no more than about four security guards and me, but ever since the aircraft was to undergo major reconstruction, like the rest of New York, everyone piled into the warehouse and made use of every square inch. I even found a few agents inside my office once, planning on turning the little room into an artifact archive. You could only imagine how I'd raised complete and utter hell with Coulson, who gladly removed them from my vicinity. Oh, I was pissed.

"I'm sure you will," He laughed heartily, but then became very serious. "Walk with me." My eyebrows drew up in his shift in mood, and I peered around to the chatting souls in the room. The man gently grabbed my elbow, urging me to walk forward. He led me through a few hallways I had only seen one other time before, and then I finally realized where our destination was.

Though, before I could question it, Coulson brought me up to the door at the very end of the hall, knocking against the black wood firmly. Why was he bringing me here? What did I do? Phil glanced down at me, sensing my distress. He sent me a reassuring smile, and squeezed my shoulder. On the other side of the door I heard a male's voice- accent definitely… but why did it sound robotic? - say, "Sir, Agents Coulson and Winters have arrived." I fidgeted with my black vest's button, biting the inside of my cheek. "Send them in." That's it; if that voice and those simple words didn't scare me shitless, I don't know what would. I gulped, hearing what sounded like shifting pieces of metal and turning knobs, and before I knew it, the door swung open. I would have never guessed the office that lay before me belonged inside an "abandoned" twenty- eight year old milk- processing warehouse. Sure, we cleaned it up real good before it became S.H.E.I.L.D HQ, but this was just something completely different.

Two walls were chrome and shining, one was replaced with a window pane that revealed a different, more beautiful image of the outside world, and the last wall was complete with the largest flat screen I had come to see. I marveled the inside of the office, before following Coulson in and studying it a bit more. My eyes circled the room, but my aweing halted upon landing on the one and only, Nick Fury. I shivered beneath his one- eyed gaze, slowly creeping behind Coulson. Before I could find total refuge, though, he moved toward the long table and pulled out a chair for himself. I stood there, feeling like I needed to await instructions under Fury's command. I am very aware that both men are now staring at me, probably thinking I am an idiot. I'm new to this.

"Agent Winters, you _may _sit. We are in need to discuss some vital information." I blushed scarlet, and moved to sit across from Coulson, clumsily stubbing the toe of my flat against the leg of my pulled out chair. Silently cursing, I tried to appear proper in my seat, interlacing my fingers in my lap. My eyes moved to Fury's single one, and I felt my face heat up once more as I discovered he looked amused in my internal struggling. _Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck. Why is he looking at me like that? Oh, FUU-_

"Ms. Winters, you are probably curious as to why I brought you here today?" He questioned, earning a shaky nod from me. He twisted in his seat, turning to the flat screen behind him, and revealed a small remote I hadn't seen before. He aimed it to the screen, and pressed a button on the device, an image flashing onto the screen. I observed the pictures on the screen, immediately recognizing them as radiation readings. And they were high.

I began studying the radiation readings right after the Asgardian god, Thor, first stepped foot on Earth. Sure, it was hard to believe then, but once I had the right equipment, I soon discovered he was truly from another world. Thus, bringing me to .E.L.D; Coulson discovered me and my data stuck up in my tiny apartment, which was only a few blocks away from my university. He and his little gang of agents hauled all of my hard work into trucks with the intentions of never being seen again. At the time, I was devastated; all my blood, sweat, tears, and hundreds of dollars worth of gas to drive into New Mexican deserts, was thrown away.

But, I guess you could say Carma wasn't that much of a bitch, because a good three weeks later, I found Coulson on my doorstep again, but this time with a job offering. He said he and his boss were impressed with my findings and research, and asked for me to personally lead a one-manned department entitled "Radiation Department"… Nothing too shabby, but yeah, it's just me. I began studying the contaminated particles all the Asguardian hoopla left behind, and found they indeed were exposed to massive radiation. The weird part though, was that I discovered that it was neither of this world (well, obviously), nor was it dangerous (not so obvious). I had the idea to put it through immense experimentation, hoping that maybe if we could harness this radiation the right way, we could transform it into energy.

Well, months put to work with just me and an empty lab went to waste after another Asguardian decided to destroy it, along with the rest of New York. All my research, which had rightfully been returned to me, went to ashes.

Now, staring right back at pictures resembling data I had put so much effort into, I don't know what to think; this isn't my data, so… there was a new occurrence of radiation.

"I'm sure you recognize these images?" Fury questioned, bringing me out of my thoughts. I swallowed thickly, finding my voice.  
"Yes… they belong to a radiation scanner." Fury nodded, and I nervously meet Coulson's eyes. Where was this headed? He smiled curtly and moved his attention back to the other bald man. Another set of images lined up next to the first few, creating a timeline of some sort.

"As you can see, the levels have greatly increased within the past few hours." _Hours? Hours! That's im- _"Impossible, you might think. I don't have nearly as much background with this sort of thing, but I know hours… that's almost unheard of. I was hoping you would look into it." Ah, I should have seen this coming. This sort of thing would take some serious 'Looking into'. So serious, in fact, it would probably take up the majority of my day, which is something I'm not too willing to give in to. Though, as much as I would like to decline his offer, I know within the depths of my heart, it was not a question, but an order.

I found myself gulping once more, unsure of how to respond. So, I simply nodded and looked to Coulson, silently pleading for his help. "Sir, I can have Stark's permission to some of his equipment." _Wait, as in TONY Stark?_  
"That way she'll have access to the best there is."  
_But he's a genius! I'll look like a burger fryer compared to him!_  
"Also, if she requires any supervision, I'm sure Tony would be _glad_ to assist her."  
_Wait, I can't do this! Tony Stark! What am I going to-  
_"Well, what do you think, Winter?"  
"It sounds like a great idea to me." _Shit._ Fury nodded, and then gestured for us to make our leave.

As soon as we had left, and I made sure his super-mechanical door was sealed, I turned to Phil. He held no evident emotion, masking his usual silly face with an expressionless façade. "Phil, you know I can't do this, right?" I questioned.  
Without meeting my eye, he said, "I know you don't want to do this, but I also know you _can_ do this."  
It was true; what he'd just said summed up about every project I'd worked on with S.H.E.I.L.D. I always seem to underestimate myself, and later on feel funny about previously underestimating myself. I guess it's just how I do my job.

We walked down the corridors to my small office space in silence, and when he'd left me at my door, he said, "Look, Elle, when you joined us you knew there was going to be some sacrifices to be made. Well, this is one of those times." He gave me a nice pat on the shoulder, before walking off. I moved my hand around the cold metal of the door handle, sighing before turning it. "Oh yeah, Fury expects you here at six on the dot. Don't be late." He called over his shoulder. I sighed dramatically, and pushed into the little space.

It was a lame excuse of an office, but was all I needed.

I rubbed my hands over my eyes and looked at my reflection in the window pane. Now noticing I had been carrying a pouted frown the entire time, I could only imagine how weak Fury thinks of me. _Well, that's what he gets for hiring a young girl that is afraid of losing her free time to work in a lab with a so-called egotistical genius-ass hole that goes by the name of Tony Stark. _

Coulson was right; this was going to be one hell of a sacrifice.

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**Okay, I know, we all love the Loki so dearly, we just can't wait for his appearance. Don't worry, you'll see him upclose and in action in... very little time? I don't know.**

**Uh... I need help. So, basically, this is the deal-**

**I need an artist (Like someone who KNOWS they are freaking good at being an artist), because all I know are stick-limbs and dot-eyes. If you are interested in creating something for the image of this story, PLEASE PM me! I will exclusively give out the details on what I need to that/ those people. Whoever has the best in my mind will be the victor.**

**So, May the odds forever be in your favor. godialwayswantedtosaythat ;).**

**You know the drill, review or don't, it's whatevs. I just need some help with this image- thingy.**

**Toodles!  
~Loves&Hugs~**


	3. Chapter 2

**Yes, I know I am evil for taking so long. And yes, I am aware that you will be presented with this word-Sigurdr- and probably won't know how to say it...**

**Sigurdr: (Sid- gur-derth)**

**Disclaimer: Hell No.**

**Without Further Ado, Here's Chapter Two, fresh out the oven for your eyes!**

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~After my whole- call in with Fury, I sat in my office and sifted through emails on my desk computer. I hadn't done so in God knows how long, and my mailbox has since reasonably filled with junk mail and porn site invitations. It took about fifteen minutes to fill the 'delete' folder and separate all the goodies. Afterward, I kicked my feet up onto the desk and planned for a moment of shut eye before Coulson would come barging in. Though, as soon as my eyelids met, the annoying office phone disrupted any relaxation I could've gotten. I cursed and moved to my upright position, leaning over the mahogany workplace to reach the device. The loud continuous noise caused me to grit my teeth, and my hand smacked down on the 'speaker' button. I wasn't one for holding things up to my ear, especially if the length of the cord prevented me to sit back down in my comfy chair. So I just pressed that button on the device and bounded back into the cushion.

"Agent Winters." Yes, I was fucking annoyed, so I don't believe a chirpy "Hello, dear friend!" will come from me today. "It's Phil. I have someone heading to your office with the radiation deal. Be nice, and take it home like a big girl." I could imagine his mocking smirk right now. What an ass wipe. I went to retort something equally stupid, when my door opened. A man behind a metal cart appeared in my doorway. I was thrown off guard, somewhat with the lack of knocking, but mainly with the item concealed with a white sheet atop the cart. It jutted through and gave the sheet a bulky appearance. I just smiled with tight lips to the guy, and said, "Yes, he just arrived. Thank you, Phil." And before he could respond, I hung up the call.

The man stood awkwardly, shifting between legs and biting the inside of his cheek. It almost seemed as though a sheen of sweat cloaked his forehead, the tips of his blond hair sticking together. I stood stiffly, still angry about the suddenness of the intruding. "_Still coulda knocked._"

"This- uh… This is your ra-ra-radiation detector…" He gestured to it with flailing hands, taking a step back as I moved forward. I questioned his actions with slanted eyes, and a purse of my lips. He smiled nervously, the right side of his lip twitching. Okay, that's it. "Sir, might I ask why you seem… fidgety?"

What? The curiosity got the better of me.

He looked at me in shock and scratched the back of his head, eyes darting away. "Well, uh, the last time we talked, you sort of… threatened to castrate me…" Oh yeah. Now I recognize him; he was with the group of guys who tried renovating my office when S.H.E.I.L.D headquarters first transferred here. I apologized and just nodded, unsure of what else to say. He awkwardly laughed and scurried out of the office. That poor sonuvabitch. I shrugged my shoulders and shut the door, making sure to lock it this time. Then, I wheeled the cart (Which, might I say was a helluva lot heavier than I expected) over to the center of the room.

The thing took some serious maneuvering, and seemed to nearly fall off the rack every inch of cart movement. If it weren't for my nightly inner core and leg exercises, I probably wouldn't have been able to move it… or get off the couch. Thank God for S.H.E.I.L.D's mandatory fitness regulations. Anyway, I got it to the middle and pinched the center of the sheet with my thumb and forefinger. Finally, I removed the damned thing and gaped wholly at the beautiful device.

It's chrome rectangular body was plated with a touch screen activator, spick and span to the point of a glistening shine. Two metallic, circular poles stuck from either of the shorter- lengthened sides. It was gorgeous, and I'd actually wondered if Coulson _did_ in fact borrow it from Stark; it seemed like a probability with all the high- tech doodads and buttons located on the main panel. I marveled it for a moment, tracing my finger along the cool metal. All of my annoyance suddenly went away, and a true smile glided over my features.

I sighed, content and happy, and threw the sheet back over it.

~"Although I am quite fond of Midgardian sun risings, it is obvious they do not compete with ours," Loki turned slightly to Thor, who just appeared on the balcony. It was true, he thought. He acknowledged the blonde with silence, looking back to the alignment of the three multi- colored stars that peaked over the horizon. Although Asgard didn't rotate on an axis, and stayed relatively still, it's small moons and suns' revolving created extraordinary sights. Loki's eyes burned and watered, but he refused to blink, hoping to take in as much as he could.

It's been the first time in months since he'd seen the suns rising. Being locked up in a cell that, not only was dangerously mind boring, but lacked proper sunlight, showed him exactly how much he missed the life of an innocent prince. That was actually one of the only things he looked forward to upon Thor's invitation to Earth; the sunshine. He basked in it quietly, waiting for said brother to beckon him fourth to the puny planet. But Thor stood beside him, almost understandingly, and watched the three suns begin to slowly pull away from behind each other. Loki sighed and, without meeting his eyes, said to Thor, "Are we to make our departure soon?"

He could see a twitch in the blonde's lips, and almost questioned him before his brother's gruff voice answered. "I was beginning to wonder when you would say that. We can leave now. Sigurdr has been prepared for some time." The name of the device filled Loki's ears with relief. He'd built the thing when he was mastering and perfecting his alchemy, using the ancient Agardian technology to withhold his own powers like a bottle and wine. Only recently it was discovered that it could be used as a means of travel, and so Odin whisked the device from Loki's chambers and locked it up in the vault for extra precaution (You know, just in case Loki tried to escape and all). He turned on his heel, startling Thor, and made way from the balcony.

The blonde stayed closely behind as they crossed the halls and corridors of the golden citadel. The raven- haired man ignored the wandering eyes of servants, maids, and even Fandral- who held a shocked expression upon seeing the prince- and continued a fast pace to the vault. Thor shrugged, a gesture saying "we'll talk later", to his friend and kept up with the smooth yet quick footfalls of his brother.

After a short period of time, an impatient Loki and concerned Thor reached the guarded doorway of Sigurdr, and after the buffer of the two gave the guards a look, they entered the vicinity. Immediately, Loki's green orbs met the podium presenting his beloved treasure.

Long ago, the gray cube was just a concrete slab he'd jabbed at until it was carved into the current shape. He pricked and poked with a sharp utensil and mallet until ancient Asgardian writings and symbols encrusted the stone. Afterward, the dull gray complexion was forever changed when he'd casted a complex form of sorcery into it. The engravings lit an icy blue, as his power surged through the swirls and various texts he'd scrawled. He was far younger then, and only planned to use the cube as practice, aiming to limit his power while compacting the rest in the stone.

It was a genius idea, but he could've never guessed his power had the ability to transport between realms.

Loki breathed deeply, circling his creation. He was almost tempted to reach out and touch it; feel the encased century- old magic thrive against his fingertips. But a thought crossed his mind. "Why take Sigurdr?" He questioned with tightly knitted eyebrows and halted motions. "Why not the Bifrost? It was repaired, wasn't it? So why my childhood science project?" He couldn't actually make an understanding of this ordeal on his own. Thor crossed his arms behind his back, stepping to the side opposite his brother. Then, he reached out, and gently scraped his nails across the cube's surface. Viewing the contact make Loki wince, as though it were his heart and Thor was nimbly prodding at it. He could make that comparison, though, since he'd devoted his love to it as a child.

"The All- Father wishes there be less risk in our traveling," This raised the prince's eyebrows, though Thor continued. "Since the… obliterating of the Bifrost, he'd been keen on using more resourceful means of transport. Just as Mjolnir's power to switch between realms. Though, I am sure you would feel more comforted using your own sorcery rather my hammer." He said with a smirk. Loki, understanding now, slowly placed his palm atop his beloved creation.

Immediately, power surged beneath his fingers, and a hair of a smile graced his thin lips. The memories of his earlier life soared through his mind, some good, some not so much. He traced the callously- imprinted cube, his younger magic filling his veins and revitalizing his heart, as a string of emotions passed; hurt, anger, hope, relief. Thor watched the entire thing unfold with minor confusion.

When Loki removed his hand, he did so with a short gasp. The feeling of the encased power ceased to exist, and he was back to his normal self. He suddenly felt the absence nipping at the edges of his mind, and longed for the touch again. Thor waited for his brother to say something, but when he didn't, he clapped his large hand against Loki's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. This broke the prince from his trance, causing him to look to his brother. "Put both of your hands on top." He finally said. Thor did as told, standing straight up. He placed his palms flat against the top surface of the cube. The glowing decals lit up for a moment with the contact, and a high pitched buzz eradiated from the device. It wasn't loud, but hushed, seemingly acknowledging Thor's two- handed touch. Loki then did the same on the opposite side, extending his long fingers and then relaxing them. The device's hues glowed brighter, the sound of the buzzing slightly increasing in volume. He felt the sorcery flow through him again, and focused his thoughts on the memory of Midgard.

A blue holographic- like haze formed above Sigurdr, first appearing as tiny blocks, then colliding together, forming the entirety of the visual. On it, though, truly amazed Thor; it appeared to be a photograph of New York in the midst of destruction. It was actually a memory of Loki's. He thought of another one, and the image changed to a very detailed one of a half- collapsed mini bridge. The photo itself revealed a smoky sky and burning rubble, but it was nowhere near as profound as that in central New York. Loki decided that memory would do just fine, and centered his energy on it.

When he was prepared, he met the blue gaze of his brother's eyes. With a quiet inhale of air, Loki said, "To Midgard." and pressed down on the cube.

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**Yeeeahhh, I still need a bro (artist) to draw me a little something- something. Pretty Please, with like, 8,000 cherries on top? **

**Please, you will get an honorable mention and your work will forever be the cover photo for this FanFic.  
****And I will love you.**

**Always.**

**Review or don't, just live you're life :)**

**~Loves&Hugs~**


	4. Chapter 3

**Bonjour! Yeah, that's right... I know French.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my potty- mouthed OC peeps. Don't get you're panties in too much of a twist.**

**And here, is Chapter 3~**

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~ I couldn't stop. I just couldn't stop looking at it. The detector's screen was lit and glowing with miraculous readings of all the sorts, and I was almost afraid to touch the thing in fear of breaking it. It was higher up (Like way up there), above my span of technical knowledge, but after a few moments of poking and prodding certain areas on the touch screen, I was presented with a list of what appeared to be instructions.

Currently, I sit cross legged on my couch, cart pushed directly in front. Yeah, that's right; I managed to get this thing all the way to my 3rd floor apartment. It took brute force to haul it outside of S.H.E.I.L.D and squeeze it into the back of my car, but I was lucky enough to discover the elevator in my complex… which I hadn't known existed until thirty minutes ago.

Now that I am presented with a fully functioning radiation scanner, readings from all over at my fingertips, I don't know what is left to do. Sure, I have it set up and running, but Coulson had said to monitor it and watch for anything unusual. He didn't really expect me to just sit here and wait until something out of the norm happens, right? And what "unusual" thing am I to look out for?

I release a grizzly groan, and rub at my eyes.

The line on the screen represents the levels of radiation currently, which I could describe as 'normal'. It works like this: the 3D segment consistently moves as does time. On the left on the screen there is a list of numbers numerically counting in tens.

Truly, it worked as a line graph, and would alert me (in some way I am not yet aware of) if the line so much as barely spiked off it's usual linear pattern. Whether the readings say there is an increase, or decrease. That's what Coulson had said when I called him as soon as I entered my home.

His words made me better understand the thing, even though the majority of what he'd said I already knew. Stark's device is really all for shows, because it barely differs from my old detectors. Well, in other words, it's physically a diamond to my old rust baskets. But other than that, I could really interpret the thing without much figuring.

My stomach's growls force my attention away from the device. I look blankly down at my mid-section, which is cloaked by a large sweat shirt. The winter weather began creeping over New York about a week ago, and I cannot WAIT to feel the biting that is the cold. What can I say? I'm a frost-lover.

My stomach chimes yet another rumbling, and I look between my stubborn belly and the scanner. It doesn't take long to decide. "Eh." I shrug and hop off the comfortable cushion, taking one last glance back to ensure the device was out of harm's way, and then I stalk toward the kitchen.

My bare feet pad softly along the cheap, thin carpet, and my stomach cries loudly again. What a night. I turn in the kitchen and flick the switch, squinting momentarily in the midst of the welcomed light, and begin for my fridge.

Not much can be found except a carton of milk, apples, bananas, and cereal- yes, I keep my cereal in the fridge because it keeps it crispier longer- so I decide on a decent bowl of Cheerios.

After my quick kitchen escapade, I return promptly to an unchanged radiation scanner. I sigh, heavily, and take a spoonful of chopped banana and cereal to my mouth. Funny, I think I may have wanted the machine to go off. Huh. Look what you wish for when your life is a basic routine of day- to- day activities, with absolutely no differentiation.

Instead of sitting back down, and presuming a normal "watchful eye" act, I turn, bowl in hand, and slowly circle the living area.

The white walls were difficult to work with when I first moved in, and I tried so very hard to make the space more of 'Elle Winters' appeal. Well, I chose to make every bit of wooden furniture dark brown, and the sofa an off- white. It looks nice, I guess.

I took bites and sluggishly stepped aside the walls. Few framed pictures of family clung by tack, and I paused by each to observe them.

My family- mom, dad, and two brothers- live in Miami, Florida. They weren't exactly upset when I informed them of my move to New York… in fact, they still aren't. I haven't seen them in four years, but they HAVE called about five times since. That's even a surprise to me. And I'm not saying they are a crude bunch of fuck- holes, but that's just how our family is- detached. We're pretty cool with it, I think.

The funny thing is, they thought I went to New York to study Law. Could you believe that? ME, a lawyer?! HA! The thought makes me laugh.

Four years ago, I was a geeky, long- haired wall flower who moved to New York to get a Technical Sciences degree, and who planned on becoming some lone wolf trapped in a lab with _all_ the scientific goodies at her fingertips. That's how I wanted it. Well, not much has changed... except for the long hair (God, I hacked at it like there was no tomorrow- hence my just-passed-the-shoulder due).

I move down the row of images from my past. That's another thing- we never smiled… TRULY smiled. In nearly every one, the entire family has this look in our eyes that suggests we had better things to do than take a photo. Another thing we're cool with.

Dakk and Evan, my twin fourteen year old brothers, they were the spicy sauce of our tree. Those fire rockets were wild and fun… and, oh, I think I might miss their obscenity. They would add a spark to my boring life.

The lines of frames end with the most recent family picture, the one where my grandma from Missouri came down and forced us into a loving posture. It was taken the day before my leave. My parents' smiles were tight lipped, but my brothers' were actual. They were hugging me monstrously, they're ten year old bodies wrapping around my legs in a way I could've exclaimed was uncomfortable, but sweet nonetheless.

I direct my attention to the next set of images on the wall, the few that might scare the living shit out of anyone I might invite over (Absolutely no one).

Loki, the villain and cause of demise for the very city where I reside, takes fame on that side of the wall. Newspaper clippings of the Chitauri attack and photos of the "Avengers" saving the day… they were all there. But, said Asgardian prince is whom I find most interest in.

Working with S.H.E.I.L.D, I have a much larger expanse of knowledge and acquaintance on the Demi- God. Not literally, I haven't met the guy, but I know that every time he'd used magic, anywhere in New York, he'd left traces of the unknown substance on the grounds.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attain a sample in time, for the radiation strangely disappeared, so there was no analyzing of alien material. The sadness of it, indeed.

Anyway, since curiosity corrupts my brain, I think studying the man's radiation energy is a call for attention.

My chocolate orbs sweep across the clippings and print- outs, until they finally land on an up close picture of the silver tongue himself.

The web proved a great tool to find security and mobile footage of the Asgardian, being all I had to do was crop pictures to get a better view. I did so to familiarize myself with the looks of the man I would be studying, and I accidentally fell shamelessly in love with his face. What? Can't a girl think a mass- murderer is hot? It seems bad, but… yeah, hormones.

His striking features- shallow cheekbones, sharp nose- prove him to be a chiseled perfection. He's all around handsome, but I think it is his eyes; they are the most stunning of all. I'm not afraid to admit those icy- blues had an unnatural vibe to them. Even Thor, his supposed brother, has normal humany eyes. But Loki… no, Loki has something I've never seen.

I guess it could just be that he is magical. Who knows?

I run my hand along the edge of the page, sigh, and take another bite of the cereal.

And then I nearly throw it.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

My eyes widen, and I turn rapidly to the ferociously sounding scanner. The line, once forever continuous and steady, angled upward, as though scaling a mountain. The numbers climbed, and I clambered over the couch and in front of the loud device. Red flashes of light filled the screen, and panic flooded my veins. _What do I do? What do I DO?!_

Well, I begin slapping the screen until something happens and the noise is no more. My lungs swell, and it appears I had been holding my breath. After gathering and composing myself, I observe the readings, which now point out very specific coordinates, and wonder what to do. "Well, curiosity_ does_ always get the better of me." I state to myself. I then copy down the numbers on a sticky note, grab my keys and coat, and head out of the door.

* * *

~They're landing wasn't much of a landing at all, but a sudden appearance with a burst of smoke. Thor, unused to the travel, drew his eyebrows together doubtfully, silently comparing his way with Mjolnir to Sigurdr. Loki, unsure of the outcome, peered around to see if his cube had brought him to the right place.

And sure enough, a newly replaced bridge caught his eye.

The night was young and quiet, a much different cloud of serenity filling the air than the cloud of ashes he'd remembered. The only thing missing is the thing that brought them there. Thor looks for Sigurdr, unaware it still lays safely in the archive crypt of Asgard. Loki already knows this, and says, "Sigurdr stays on Asgard. Before you question, yes, I can still transport us between the realms."

Thor nods, understanding of the concept now, and begins to step toward the bridge. Loki bites the inside of his cheek, hesitant to follow. "What am I to do now? Now that we are here?" He asks. Thor turns, halting his footfalls and facing his brother. "We wait here, until it is time for you to help."

The black- haired prince looked around in distaste, and back to his brother. "Oh, come on, you can't expect me to wait here until daylight." When the buffer blonde simply looks at him, he huffs and begins walking the other way. "Loki, we cannot separate." Thor claims, speeding to catch up. Loki ignores him and grits his teeth, anger flourishing for a whole other reason.

How could he just sit there, in a boring Midgardian park, until the humans request his assistance? What was his idiot of a brother thinking?!

Without warning, a flash of light flies by, shining on the two men and jolting Loki from his thoughts. The sound of a vehicle engine fills the air, and he can briefly make out the figure of a small car behind the blinding headlights. It seems to be twenty feet away, but slowly coming nearer by the second. Thor and Loki exchange a confused glance, the same thought on they're minds. Why does it seem the vehicle is headed directly toward them? They don't budge as it comes within ten feet, the lights still shining but the engine suddenly cutting.

They wait for movement, anything. And then the door opens, and a figure steps cautiously out of the car. Being closer now, Loki could figure this being was a short female, tightly encased in a long coat. The girl hesitantly steps forward, but stops. Recognition passes over her features, and fear in her widened eyes. "Holy fuck."

* * *

**Holy fuck indeed, Elle. **

**Welp. Loki's here. Yep. I still need an artist.**

**ARTIST ARTIST ARTIST ARTIST ART- what? no one? really? aw ok then.**

**Cereal- ly, I need someone to create life for this story visually... yeh.**

**PLEASE PM ME if you believe you are a winner and a lover of mine ;) **

**And there goes my creepy side.**

**Chapter 4 should be coming up soon babes! **

**~Loves&Hugs~**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 coming right at you! A/N at the bottom is sort of important, so...**

Did I forget to mention? Oh yeah, there's a lot of language... watch out for potty mouths.

**Disclaimer: The Avengers, Loki, Thor, and Dunkin Donuts do not belong to mwah.**

* * *

~ As soon as I'd left the apartment complex, once situated in my car, I called Coulson. And when he didn't answer, I called again. And again. And again. And finally, I gave up.

Not answering a call is unlike Coulson, because he generally picks up just before the third ring. That's the kind of man he is. But seeing as there were several failed attempts to contact him, I called a quits and looked up the coordinates in my phone. And albeit, they directed me to the park five minutes from my home.

I race through midnight traffic, noting that with every second passed, I grow more and more anxious. I take a few breaths while stuck at a red light, somewhat calming the jittering nerves. "Dammit, Phil, what do I do?" The question of the night. What _am_ I to do?

Protocol says to report this kind of stuff, that it needs to be sent to higher officials so they can take care of it, but Phil just _has_ to miss my desperate hails for help. And now I am the one wondering into an unknown abyss.

I mean, come on, who knows what's over there? It could be a giant tarantula that spits acid, or Michael Jackson back from the dead. Hell, I can't know.

The light turns green, and anxiety bubbles through me again. I step on the pedal and bite my lip, eyes flickering to the GPS on my phone every so often.

It is obvious I know the route to the park already, but I still want to be sure… because I know at this time of night, I will be alone there.

Finally, arriving through the gate entrance, I peer over the dash in hopes of being able to see. Well, I don't see shit, so I reach behind the wheel and turn on the extended headlights. That does the trick. I begin inching the car forward, breath becoming frantic and forehead sticky with sweat. My lip, gnawed and mangled already, finds its way back beneath my upper teeth.

I urge myself to drive around the lot, and after finding no spider or MJ, I circle back to where I started. And then I see it; a cloud of dust particles wafting over the hood. I am forced to squint to see through the mass, and push my car back into drive, moving forward at an agonizingly slow pace.

Once the cloud thins, and I am more able to see clearly, I drag the vehicle in the direction of the dust wave. All I hear is the engine of the car and my dangerously loud heartbeat. Other than that, not a peep is heard.

And then I really see it. Not it, _them_; two looming figures, shielded by the glint of my headlights. I can definitely make out that they are men, but I am still too far away to figure anything else.

A bead of sweat trickles down my face, and I gulp loudly, wide eyes trained on the two men. I come nearer, idling because I don't know what else to do.

Why would they be the cause of a radiation spike?

And then it hits me, like a bag of potatoes to the cheek; the last known time of a radiation spike was… Thor.

And it is then, the figures, tall and intimidating, I can decipher. The one on the right is bulky and is clothed with something shiny, reflecting the glint of my headlights. If that one is Thor, then who is the other one?

I stop the car, pushing it into park, and nimbly wrap my fingers around the door handle. Without turning my eyes away from the two, I slowly, hesitantly pull the mechanism and open the door. Every so often, in my stepping out of the car, I would pause all movement to take a breath, my throat clenched in fear. I don't understand why I would be afraid of the all- loving Avenger, but hey, if it means anything, I would've never guessed I would come this close to the guy.

As soon as the cold air whips in to my car, goose bumps mask my skin, and I shiver in both the cold and the presence of the two men. My booted- leg rests on the dewy grass, and I pull the entirety of my body away from the warmth of the car and into the piercing winter weather.

Now, outside of the vehicle, I have a better view of the two. Why… why does the other one seem so familiar? I can't quite make out the facial features, but I feel as though I've seen him before.  
With careful steps, I maneuver myself in front of the hood. And then I finally recognize him.

Loki.

The God of Mischief, the Prince of Lies, the Silver Tongue… less than ten feet away.

And then I stand, cold and afraid.

"Holy Fuck."

* * *

~Thor and Loki share a confused glance while watching the girl; Loki's being more so amused. He briefly wonders if his brother will try to conceal him from the human's sight, but he makes no move to do so.

She stands still, mouth agape and eyes wide in… fear? Yes, that is definitely fear, he thinks. Much closer now, he can analyze her features. Big, dark eyes, heart shaped pink lips, soft cheek bones, and mid- length dark auburn hair. For a Midgardian, she was quite exceptional. Her clothing choice though, stands no grounds against Asgard's fine quality gowns; a large black sweatshirt hung loosely to her torso, long brown trench coat trailing off her shoulders, and plain dark slacks on her legs. What a poor fashion statement for such a pretty gal.

And so, the three stood, awaiting another's move. Thor takes it upon himself to question the gaping girl.

"I'm sorry, but, are we not to be in this vicinity, miss?" She seems to shake out of her thoughts, eyes darting between the two now. Quite noticeably, her throat bobs up in a gulp, and Loki smirks in her fear.

"Um… no… no it's not that- uh-" Her voice quivers and she takes silent breaths before continuing. "You.. your Thor, right?" She says, voice high and gesturing to him. He raises a thick brow, but shows that golden smile of his and nods, bowing gentlemanly. Loki scowls at that. Her lips twitch into a bit of a puckered 'o' at his move, and then her eyes flash to the raven- haired prince. "And you… your Loki." This time it isn't a question, but he still takes pleasure in smiling wickedly as she backs further into the car's jittering hood.

Thor, too, notices this and moves toward her. She looks to him for a brief moment before her orbs travel back to the Silver Tongue.

"He is not here to cause harm." Loki frowns, and looks away from the two, green eyes gazing to the white moon. Again, another inconvenient jab towards his destruction of mankind.

The girl jumps, shaking from her train on him, when Thor's beefy hand genuinely touches her shoulder. Seemingly less- fearful of his gesture, she gives him a questioning eye. "Forgive us, if our travel is unexpected, but my brother and I," His eyes flicker to the solemn prince. "We are here to aid in the recovery of the New York." He gambles a smile, relieved when the girl gives one herself. Shaky and uncertain, yes, but a smile at the least. She opens her mouth to speak, closing it a moment after, and clears her throat.

"Hi- uh… hello… Thor and… Loki," His ears catch the shakiness of her voice when she says his name. She continues after a slight nod from Thor and nothing from him. "Wow, uh, I never thought I'd see _either_ of you here." Her hand goes back to rub her neck, a nervous laugh releasing from her mouth. Thor just keeps on smiling, distancing himself from the girl a little before giving Loki a knowing glance, as if telling him to come forward. Loki, though, rolls his eyes, and lets out an exasperated sigh, inching one boot at a time through the dewy grass until he is five feet from the girl. She noticeably gulps at his move and stiffens.

Thor looks between the two, and asks, "And who might you be?"  
"Oh, right. I'm Elle, Elle Winters… I- uh," She clears her throat again. "I work with S.H.E.I.L.D…?" A delighted grin sweeps across Thor's face, and a chill of relief passes over her. _'Oh thank the Lord, Bruce Almighty, sweet baby Jesus he recognizes S.H.E.I.L.D'_ Loki's face, however, contorts to that of a disgusted one.

"Ah, so you work with Sir Fury? That is wonderful! Loki and I were to speak with him come morning, but perhaps you could just relay a message-"

"You never told me we were speaking with the Director," Loki interrupts, causing Thor to turn back. Thor frowns, a crease forming on his brow.  
"Did you believe you were just going to arrive without his consent?"

"I believed you would have already _had_ his consent. Before dragging me to this God forsaken land!" Loki snarls through gritted teeth, stepping forward. Elle practically jumps on her hood, eyes wide in terror. She watches the exchange they have, dark eyes training between the two every time one would press on the subject. And then she notices something; Loki, much, much closer now, is different. Different being his eyes, his most memorable feature to the agent. They are… green?

Her confidence suddenly appearing, she closes in on the two, just barely stepping between them. "Stop! Just stop!" She says, emphasizing her words with hand gestures. The Demi- Gods both silence, and look down to her, confusion masking their faces.

She takes a breath and gnaws her bottom lip for a moment before pressing on. "This… this is gonna sound really odd but, Loki?" She hesitantly turns to face him full on. His face is turned away but his eyes are completely focused on her, and she swears a bead of sweat finds her neck even in the nipping cold air.

"Your eyes-" She gulps. "Your eyes are green." He rolls them matter- of- factly, even Thor questioning her means of the statement. She catches on to the confusion and says, "No, no… I mean, they _are_ green… But they _were_ blue."

Suddenly, his breathe hitches, and he finally looks at her fully. "And… the other people, the ones who were under mind… control… they also had the exact blue…" She trails off, as though finally putting the puzzle pieces together. Loki, stone hard with a façade, hangs on to a sliver of hope on the inside. Realization hits and her eyes are wide and mouth stuck on a gasp. "You… you… You didn't do it, did you? It wasn't you! The whole time, it wasn't even you!" She is pointing her finger and bouncing on her toes dramatically.

Thor allows a small smile to win over his features, and Loki deadpans, not sure whether or not to doubt the girl's assumptions. He looks to his brother, who is on the verge of joyous laughter, and back to the girl. With a steady voice, "It was not my doing. But…" He was almost afraid to ask. "How did you presume so?"

Her lips twitch into a grin, and she knows not why. Possibly because she was correct in assumption? When she contains the joy of being correct, she says, "I- uh… researched. Finding a picture of you in New York isn't too hard to come by. But, hang on…"

A thought crosses her mind. "You were being punished for a crime you didn't commit- mentally commit. Does anyone else know it wasn't you?"

Thor stepped in when Loki fell silent. "No, no more than you and I, Agent Winters. I would like so to explain if you are able to direct us to a safe location in which we could reside for the night?" She quiets, looking down as if contemplating. After a moment, she clears her throat for the umpteenth time and places her hand on hips, looking directly at Loki.

"Well, you guys are welcome to stay at my place. It's a bit cramp, but I can get you there and back without being seen. And if you want to talk to Fury, Thor, I can take you tomorrow." She seems oddly situated about her answer, further perplexing the God of Mischief. The girl had gone from fearful and avoiding to confident and inviting in a matter of minutes.

"That is a great bargain, Agent. If you are positive, we would enjoy accompanying you to 'your place'." The girl nodded, mumbling something about cleaning her car a bit first, and moved to do so. The two men watch the girl work, amused. "I cannot imagine another being better to have met tonight, Loki." Thor's gruffly voice invades the silence.

Loki stifles a sarcastic remark, eyes focusing on the girl's frantic movements on the inside of the now- lit car. She actually believed him without his pleas to. Maybe humans were not all the same. He sighed, looking up at the moon again. "I couldn't agree with you more." And he actually meant it.

* * *

_~'Fuckity fuck. Great job Elle, you've just invited two Gods over to your house. I wonder what Phil will think of this… Oh shit, Phil. I'm totally getting fired… And when the hell did my car get so freaking messy!?'_ My thoughts waged internal affairs, and I threw another long- forgotten Dunkin Donuts To-Go bag in the back seat. Seriously, what have I done? I've eaten so many doughnuts in this car, I don't even know if I might happen to come across a full one that just disappeared before. That's wrong! And I just bring in two super beings from another planet?

Double wrong.

It all makes sense now, with the eyes. I knew the ones from the pictures, taken on that day, were too good to be true. Illuminating like a special effects deal from some big name movie production. But still… the green orbs in their place… wow. They are _definitely _humany, but just a shade of green I've never seen on a person.

Emerald. Pure emerald.

I clean the car just enough so there is room for two more.

With a sigh of conferment, I leave the seat and call out, "Okay, I'm ready to go." As they set fourth toward the vehicle, I think to myself… Am I truly?

* * *

**Oh, God. I am sorry, guys :C. The update took longer than expected... WAYYY, much so.**

**Truth be told, I found myself in a bit of a flurry: MY CAR WAS STOLEN.**

**So, the only reason I have it now, is because I spent DAYS mulling over it with the police, and finally, the PoPo found the culprit! ****Ahhhh, I'm so glad it's only been through minor damage. The dude is serving time, and I only _hoped_ he would've gotten my fist in his eye, but the Blues wouldn't let me do that, so...**

**Never steal a car.**

**Um, So I need a person... AND I NEED THEM SOON OR ELSE THE COVER PHOTO FOR THIS STORY WILL BE STICK FIGURES. Or someone who could relay another to me? Please? :I YOU WILL BE HONORABLY MENTIONED IN EVERY CHAPTER, AND I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER, AND-**

**...I'm desperate here, honestly.**

**Thanks to my reviewer, The Sorceress's Apprentice!  You are so AWESOME! :D**

**And to all followers, I love ya'll! 3**

**Review or don't, it's whatever.**

**~Loves&Hugs~**


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